Fired by the oxygen of irrationality, America entered a period of grave intolerance, not just toward immigrants but toward any kind of antiestablishment behavior. The Sedition Act of 1918 made it illegal, among much else, to make critical remarks about government expenditure or even the YMCA.44 So low did standards of civil liberty fall that police routinely arrested not only almost anyone remotely suspected of sedition, but even those who came to visit them in jail.
America experienced a troubling era characterized by a surge in intolerance, particularly against immigrants and dissenting voices. Under the influence of irrational fears, the government enacted the Sedition Act of 1918, which restricted freedom of expression by criminalizing criticism of government spending and organizations like the YMCA. This reflected a broader climate of repression, where citizens were penalized for simply questioning the status quo.
The climate of fear led to widespread abuses of civil liberties, with law enforcement actively arresting individuals simply for being associated with suspected dissenters. The atmosphere became so oppressive that even friends and family members visiting those in jail were not spared from scrutiny and potential arrest, highlighting the extent of paranoia and intolerance in society during this time.
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All the things you can talk about in anyone's work are the things that are least important.
Race of Cain, ascend to heaven, And cast God down upon the earth!
